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Old 05-16-14, 07:46 AM  
cherimac
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Georgia
That's why I said what works for you, individually. My advice is to try something and if it doesn't work, change it up. At 49, years of heavier weights and lots of cardio did a number on my flexibility and joints so dropping back to shorter workouts and less cardio has been a godsend. Because, as others have said, the weight is about diet FOR ME. YMMV.
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Old 05-16-14, 08:20 AM  
Laura S.
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Originally Posted by holliholli915 View Post
I've been reading a lot lately about how extremely long, steady state cardio workouts are not good for weight loss. The most recent article I read went into the science of how the body responds to steady state vs. hiit/tabata style cardio workouts and basically concluded that both are essential. However, it didn't go into detail about best practices for the most effective plan.
Yeah, I love how people can take studies that show that one option of something is slight better than another option under certain conditions and conclude that the second option is no good. Hence, all the intense cardio we are seeing these days. My body has always responded to doing long cardio sessions - 45 minutes or more. But, it also has responded to doing shorter, more intense options once in awhile.

In general, I would do 1-2 long cardio sessions and 1 shorter and higher intensity workout per week. I figured that some of my strength work would include cardio bursts and could count toward extra higher intensity workouts as well. I really liked the Look Great in 8 rotation because it included the different lengths and types of cardio in different weeks.

Of course these days, I'm not moving much because my left knee is in such bad shape and I've drifted to doing more strength work. But, I always know that I can go back after my knee replacement at some point.

And, of course, what you eat totally affects your body more than exercise. But, your body still responds to different types of exercise and that's what the question was about.
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Old 05-16-14, 08:34 AM  
txfitmom
 
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I think overall my body responds better to long steady state cardio (or at least 30 minutes). HIIT and tabata style workouts tend to stress my body out more which causes me to plateau and my body holds onto fat more. Everybody is different though.

I was listening to those thyroid sessions and there was a fitness guy on there that said studies showed it did not matter whether you did steady state cardio or HIIT, what mattered is how your body was doing that particular day. For example, if you feel really energetic one day, no stress going on, then you may feel great after a HIIT workout, but if you push yourself with that kind of workout on a day when you are already depleted then you are stressing your thyroid which then causes further problems with metabolism, etc.

For those of us that already have hormone issues either from thyroid or premenopause/menopause, etc, maybe even other autoimmune inflammatory conditions going on, it is probably better to avoid really intense workouts until the body is better healed. I think there are phases of our lives where we just cannot do those really tough workouts and if we don't listen we not only don't lose weight, but we wreck our bodies.
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Old 05-16-14, 08:39 AM  
cherimac
 
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Originally Posted by txfitmom View Post

For those of us that already have hormone issues either from thyroid or premenopause/menopause, etc, maybe even other autoimmune inflammatory conditions going on, it is probably better to avoid really intense workouts until the body is better healed. I think there are phases of our lives where we just cannot do those really tough workouts and if we don't listen we not only don't lose weight, but we wreck our bodies.
Totally agree. And when I say I do more interval/HIIT/Tabata, I do those SBF style, which is much gentler and less intense than it sounds.
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Old 05-16-14, 08:46 AM  
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I agree with videofit.

I think a lot of people confuse themselves by reading too much - too many blogs, websites, and even scientific studies. Don't get me wrong, I am ALL about scientific studies, but studies read without a critical eye and and without some sense of context and balance can send one down the wrong path. In other words, one has to guard against confirmation bias, the conscious or even unconscious seeking out of studies that conclude what you want to believe is true, and not looking for studies that conclude otherwise, or show no effect. This is a trap even the best of us can fall into if we're not careful.

My opinion on cardio for weight loss: broadly speaking, it doesn't matter. You can use it, or not use it. If you are going to use it, pick stuff that you enjoy doing. Is one thing slightly better than another? Probably, but who cares? This is small picture stuff. Concentrate on big picture stuff. If you get your diet squared away, you may not need to change what you're doing exercise-wise at all.
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Old 05-16-14, 08:58 AM  
Joni O
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Everything I've been reading for a while agrees on 3 things (as do I):

1. Weight loss has very little, if anything, to do with exercise - although you should weight train so you don't lose muscle when losing weight.

2. Decreasing calories when increasing exercise is like driving your car on a long trip and not putting enough gas in - and expecting it to go the distance.

3. Fat burning is caused by eating fat burning foods (basically good fat) and avoiding fat storing foods. It's all about chemistry inside your body and what happens when you eat various foods. Sounds like hocus pocus maybe, but it made sense when I read/heard it. :-)

Works for me. Others have other opinions. This is just mine.
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Old 05-16-14, 09:22 AM  
summer breeze
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Originally Posted by Joni O View Post
Everything I've been reading for a while agrees on 3 things (as do I)

3. Fat burning is caused by eating fat burning foods and avoiding fat storing foods. It's all about chemistry inside your body and what happens when you eat various foods.

Works for me. Others have other opinions. This is just mine.
I have seen fat burning foods mentioned before but I'm not sure what foods fall into the fat burning foods category and what foods are fat storing. If it's not against the guidelines, could you explain it for me? Or direct me to a website? TIA
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Old 05-16-14, 09:30 AM  
m42
 
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For me high intensity exercises like Tabata and Zuzka makes the weight fly off independent of diet. So maybe the best kind of cardio has something to do with body type. When I want to burn fat I always turn to these type of exercises because they work and they work fast.
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Old 05-16-14, 02:32 PM  
Jane1721
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Ohio
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Originally Posted by Kyra View Post
My opinion on cardio for weight loss: broadly speaking, it doesn't matter. You can use it, or not use it. If you are going to use it, pick stuff that you enjoy doing. Is one thing slightly better than another? Probably, but who cares? This is small picture stuff. Concentrate on big picture stuff. If you get your diet squared away, you may not need to change what you're doing exercise-wise at all.
Totally agree with Kyra on this - well said!
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Old 05-16-14, 03:37 PM  
anne
 
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I enjoy longer steady state cardio more than hiit but when I added hiit (and my version is Firm Express) after I'd already slimmed down with the help of steady state cardio such as walking, zumba, and step (plus a good diet) that helped push me to better results (my legs got leaner and more toned). I think steady state cardio needs to be combined with weight work because of muscle loss, especially as you get older. Cardio with a lot of movement of the legs works better for me than cardio workouts that involve mostly standing in one place (like Ellen Barrett and some of the newer dance workouts)--those are good workouts for many, many reasons just not as effective for me and my legs as more active workouts.
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